Mumbai News: Mulund Dumping Ground Waste Processing Delayed; Contractor Processes 66% Of 70 Lakh Tonnes As Deadline Nears

Mumbai: Despite the deadline for the Mulund dumping ground waste processing being extended until June 2025, the contractor has managed to process only 66% of the 70 lakh tonnes of waste thus far. With substantial work still pending, the BMC is now deliberating whether to grant an extension to the contractor in order to complete the remaining tasks. The contractor will also face a heavy penalty for the delay, said a civic official.

The closure of the Mulund Dumping Ground, initially scheduled for completion by October 2024, has faced significant delays. Although the BMC extended the deadline due to the challenges posed by the pandemic, they also imposed strict measures to ensure that the contractor ramps up efforts.

As of now, 46 lakh tonnes of waste have been processed. "Since the project was delayed due to the pandemic, we allowed a one-year extension. To date, a penalty of Rs. 9 crores has been imposed on the contractor for the delays. The contractor was given a target of processing 15,000 tonnes of waste daily, but still, 24 lakh tonnes remain unprocessed. The contractor has now sought more time to complete the project. Even if we grant an extension, the contractor will still face penalties for the continued delays," said a civic official.

The contract, valued at Rs 731 crore, was awarded in October 2018 following the closure of the Mulund Dumping Ground, with the goal of processing waste using advanced technology. However, the project faced several setbacks, including delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and difficulties in obtaining necessary permissions, which resulted in actual work beginning only in 2021. 

The contractor was tasked with processing 11 to 12 lakh tonnes of waste annually, a target that has yet to be met. Mumbai generates approximately 6,300 metric tonnes of garbage daily. Of this, 5,500 metric tonnes are sent to the processing plant in Kanjurmarg, while only 10% is dumped at the Deonar landfill. Mulund, which was the second-largest dumping ground in the city after Deonar, covered 24 hectares and had been in operation since 1968.